SHOCK: 7 naturalized Malaysian players are still eligible to play against Vietnam's national team

The temporary permission granted by CAS allows 7 naturalized Malaysian players the chance to participate in the match against Vietnam's national team.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has recently issued a significant ruling, opening the possibility for 7 naturalized players of the Malaysian national team to return to play while awaiting the final verdict. This is a notable development ahead of crucial matches in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers, especially the showdown with Vietnam's national team.

On the evening of January 26, the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) officially announced that CAS has approved the request to temporarily suspend the sanctions against 7 players including Facundo Garcés, Rodrigo Holgado, Imanol Machuca, João Figueiredo, Gabriel Palmero, Jon Irazabal, and Héctor Hevel. This move temporarily "rescues" Malaysia’s squad, which had been severely impacted by previous penalties.

According to CAS’s decision, the 12-month ban imposed by FIFA on these players will be temporarily lifted. This means they are permitted to continue playing, training, and participating in football-related activities as usual while awaiting the final outcome of the appeal process.

Not only can they return to their clubs, but these 7 players are also eligible to represent Malaysia’s national team. This factor has drawn significant attention from fans, as Malaysia could field their strongest lineup in upcoming matches, including the decisive encounter against Vietnam.

With the latest update, the likelihood of these 7 naturalized Malaysian players appearing against Vietnam on March 31 is clearer than ever. Their participation would substantially strengthen Malaysia’s offense and defense, posing a serious challenge for Vietnam’s head coach and team.

However, this is only a temporary ruling, as CAS continues to review Malaysia’s appeal and will issue a final decision soon. The AFC hopes the verdict will arrive before the important match, so whether these 7 players can definitely compete depends entirely on CAS’s final judgment.